CAS Sympathy- Two Challenges in One!

Hi Stampers! 

What a whirlwind of a week for me!!   I had the opportunity to meet and make a new stamping friend, spaghetti dinner at a very nice restaurant with our 5^th and 6^th grade Awana book award winners and of course, my full-time accounting job but I managed to squeeze in a few moments to stamp (thanks to a very understanding hubby!)!!

This week my good friends at The PaperPlayers have the PP96 Challenge to use "Polka Dots in a Clean and Simple (CAS)" project.  CAS is not my normal style since I tend to “overwork” things but I do like the style and will keep trying!!  I decided to combine the PP96 Challenge with the Splitcoaststampers SC386 Sketch.

I thought that since we are headed into Memorial Day weekend that a sympathy card would be appropriate.  I know that many of us celebrate this weekend with family and friends and pray that we will remember those who lost their lives serving our country! 

This card is very quick and easy to create- stamp the image with Basic Black onto Whisper White cardstock (I love the new SU! pads- such a clean crisp image!!).  HINT- With this image I masked the flowers so the stem would not overlap the petals. 

Layer onto Basic Black cardstock.  Assemble the layers using Designer Series Paper (DSP), add the paper doily, bow and pearls- you are done!!  

Stamp Sets:  Field Flowers, Teeny Tiny Wishes

 Ink: Basic Black

Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Designer Series Packs- Neutrals, Flirtatious DSP (retired)

Accessories:  Word Window and Modern Label Punch, Pearls, 5/8” Black Satin Ribbon

There you go- my version of CAS- I hope you like it!!  Have a great weekend honoring the men and women who have died for our freedom- may the Lord richly bless their families and continue to bless our country!! 

One More Emboss Resist Card!

Hi Again Stampers!

I have one more card that I can share from this weekend and decided to create another card for the HSSTC118 Hand Stamped Sentiments Emboss Resist Challenge- I could not resist :-))  Emboss resist is one of my all time favorite techniques and if you have a chance, stop by and see the Design Team samples along with all of the other entries!

To create this card:

Use Versamark™ ink and stamp the tree image onto Whisper White cardstock.  Apply Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder and heat emboss with the Heat Tool.

Use Sponge Daubers to apply Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals and Basic Gray Classic Ink to the desired effect. 

Mount onto Whisper White and Basic Black.  Add the ½” Rose Red Seam binding, sentiment and pearls to the center panel and adhere to an embossed panel of Basic Gray to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Lovely As A Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes

 Ink: Versamark™, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Basic Gray

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Basic Gray

 Accessories:  Big Shot™, Herringbone Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Black EP, Sponge Daubers, Decorative Label Punch, ½” Regal Rose Seam Binding, Pearls

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

Two Cards- One Color Challenge!

Hi Stampers!

It has been another extremely busy week!  One of the reasons I have not been able to post as frequently to my blog is that I am currently on two Design Teams for Spliptcoaststampers- the Creative Crew (highlighting SU! products) and just announced this week, the Dirty Dozen!!  I am so honored to have been chosen for both of these teams!  

The Fan Club Gallery at Splitcoaststampers is one of the benefits you receive if you are a Fan Club member (you do not have to be a member to enjoy the resources but let me tell you, I have been a member for years and the Fan Club Gallery has so much to offer)!  Along with the current "Dirty Girls" I created six projects for the May gallery "Life is like a Box of Chocolates" - chocolate colors, chocolate, etc.  Come check out these exclusive to SCS Fan Club Members only designs out!! 

Today, I decided to spend some time today relaxing and creating cards for some of my favorite weekly challenges along with a few for the Creative Crew (stop back after June 1st to see the Creative Crew cards:-)).  

 I combined this week’s wonderful CQC137ColourQ colors and while I had the colors out, created two cards- the first card utilizes the heat emboss technique for the HSSTC118 Heat Emboss Challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments and the second card incorporates the SC302 Sketch Challenge from Splitcoaststampers. 

To create the first card:

Stamp the floral image using Basic Gray on Whisper White cardstock and color with the Wisteria Wonder and Lucky Limeade Stampin’ Write markers.  Use the Versamarker™ to go over the flowers and leaves, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder and heat using the Heat Tool.

With a Sponge Dauber, apply Tempting Turquoise for the sky, add the 5/8” Basic Gray Satin bow and sentiment to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Herb Expressions (to be retired June 1^st), Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Basic Gray, Tempting Turquoise, Versamarker™,  Stampin’ Write Markers- Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray

Accessories:  Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Dauber, Modern Label and Word Window Punch, Pearls, 5/8” Basic Gray Satin Ribbon (retired)

To create the second card, using sticky notes mask off an area on Whisper White cardstock.  Apply Wisteria Wonder and Tempting Turquoise ink with Sponge Daubers.  Stamp the floral spray image with Basic Gray, trim and mount onto Basic Gray cardstock. 

Use the Big Shot™ with the Finial Press Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Tempting Turquoise and Lucky Limeade DSP (lightly sand both pieces with the Sanding Block). 

Mount the layers per the sketch (the Wisteria Wonder was a scrap piece that I had previously embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder. 

Add the 5/8” Organza Ribbon bow and sentiment panel to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Elements of Style, Blessings from Heaven

Ink: Basic Gray, Tempting Turquoise, Wisteria Wonder

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Wisteria Wonder; Designer Series Paper- Tempting Turquoise, Lucky Limeade

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Finial Press and Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Sanding Block, Sponge Daubers, Pearls, 5/8” Organza Ribbon

Thanks again for stopping by to visit- it is such an encouragement to me! Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you find some time to stamp!

May12 Vintage Swap Card

Hi Stampers! 

I have been extremely busy the past few weeks with creating projects for the Creative Crew MayChallenge on Splitcoast Stampers and swap cards for our quarterly group meeting.  My upline, Cindy Fodor spends so much time preparing a great meeting for us- she is the best and we had such a wonderful time- thanks Cindy and family! 

Our swaps must have at least two layers and two embellishments.  I love to use ribbon and brads and lots of layers, so thankfully not a problem on that end....but for some reason I always seem to struggle with the design of my swap cards.  Not sure why my “mojo” seems to disappear and this year with the catalog transition (and the discontinuation of my favorite satin ribbon), I really had a tough time... which means that I am up to the wee hours of the morning the few nights leading up to the meeting trying to finish.  Who needs sleep anyway? :-) 

I finally decided to create a semi-vintage card using Nature’s Pace- love that little bee.    I am really allergic to bee stings so I do not like bees outside in the yard but I think that the images are so cool!

To create this card:

Stamp the bee image onto Whisper White cardstock using Basic Black Classic Ink.  Color the bee and flowers with Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils. 

Use the Big Shot™ with the Designer Oval Frame Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, cut out carefully around the oval and sponge a bit of Crumb Cake and Soft Suede to “antique” the paper.

Mount onto embossed Early Espresso (using the Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and Decorative Label Punch). 

Emboss a piece of Crumb Cake and Wild Wasabi with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (first ink the smooth interior of the embossing folder with Crumb Cake ink to add dimension). 

Add the Not Quite Navy layer (embossed with the Stripes Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch).  Adhere the ½” Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon with Antique Brad to finish off the card.

I did not add a sentiment so that an appropriate one could be added later.  Occasionally I like to have cards on hand that can be customized to the specific need at the time :-)

Stamp Sets:  Nature’s Pace

Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Not Quite Navy

Ink:  Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Decorative Frame (oval), Perfect Polka Dots, Square Lattice, Stripes, SU! Watercolor Pencils, Punches- Decorative Label, Scallop Trim, ½” Crumb Cake Seam Binding, Antique Brad, Sponge Daubers

Thanks again for stopping by!  I hope you like this little bee card- have a great week stamping and creating! 

CQC135 Antiqued Truck

Hi Stampers!

It has been another very busy week and I finally had a chance to relax and stamp a card.   I decided to use the colors from the CQC135 ColourQ Challenge (love this weekly challenge!)to create a CAS (Clean and Simple) masculine card.   If you have the time, visit their site to see all of the Design Team projects as well as all of the different entries- always an inspiration! 

To create this card:

On Whisper White cardstock, use sticky notes to create a mask.  Stamp the truck image with  Versamark™ ink, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Brown Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool.  

Once the embossing has cooled, color with Stampin’ Write markers (I used the challenge colors- Pool Party, Ruby Red, So Saffron) and apply Early Espresso ink with a Sponge Dauber to “antique” the image. 

 It was difficult to photograph this image- in real life it had a wonderful aged appearance - the background has a rich sepia tone to it :-)

Mount onto Early Espresso cardstock and again onto the embossed panel of Whisper White.  Add the sentiment with the Hemp Twine (retired) to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Countryside, Petite Pairs

Ink: Versamark™, Early Espresso, Stampin’ Write Markers- Pool Party, So Saffron, Ruby Red (retired)

Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Finial Press Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (retired), Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Brown Embossing Powder (retired), Hemp Twine (retired), Antique Copper Hardware (retired)

Thanks again for stopping by to visit- I hope you have a wonderful week and find some time to play with paper! 

CCREW0512SF- CAS Scrapbook Layout

Hi Again Stampers!  

Did you know that May is National Scrapbooking month?  

CCREW0512SF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM -- Scrapbook focus: 

Create a scrapbook page or project that showcases someone you love.

I decided to create a quick easy layout using the retired In-Color Hostess DSP pack along with a few punches, embossing folders and of course, Pearls.

This one is so simple- just stamp the edges with the scroll image from Creative Elements on the 8x8 pages of Pear Pizzazz.  Add the panels, bow and flower- as a fellow demonstrator says, "Easy Peasy"..:-)

 

Stamp Sets:  Creative Elements

 Ink: Pear Pizzazz

Cardstock:  Pear Pizzazz, In-Color Hostess DSP Pack (retired)- Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride

I hope you like this layout and again, come join us for the fun! 

CCREw0512HF- Blessing My Life Pop-Up

CCREW0512HF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - Holiday focus 

This challenge is for the girls! Make a free standing pop-up card for a special female in your life (your mom, your sister, an aunt, or a best friend)! 

The tutorial is here: Splitcoaststampers - Free Standing Pop-Up Card Tutorial by Mary JoAlbright .  Don’t forget- a great project to use the Simply Scored™ board and the new Simply Scored™ diagonal insert!

I used the tutorial to create the pop-up card- heat embossed the flowers on Whisper White. 

Stamp the En Francais background stamp using Basic Gray (stamp off first) and color the flowers using Stampin’ Write markers- Blushing Bride, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait. 

Emboss the outside panel with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (before assembling the card).  

Add the ribbon bow, rolled flower and sentiment to finish off the card.

Closed View 

Stamp Sets:  Elements of Style, Herb Expressions (soon to be retired), En Francais

 Ink: Basic Gray, Blushing Bride, Stampin’ Write Markers- Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride

Cardstock:  Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride and Whisper White

Accessories:  Big Shot™,  Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Punches- 1 3/8” Circle (rolled flower), XL Oval, Decorative Label, Doily and Large Oval (under bow at the top of the tag), Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder, ½” Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Antique Brad, Pearls

Thanks again for dropping by- I hope you enjoyed this card (it was my first but definitely not my last, freestanding pop-up card)!  Have a wonderful week- God Bless! 

CCREW0512CF- Triple Treat Love

Hi again Stampers!

Here is my card for submission for the CCREW0512CF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM -- Catalog focus:Time to Blossom! Think of May flowers. We have lots of flowers in the catalog: stamps, punches, paper flowers, Big Shot dies, buttons, etc.. Use any or all of these in a project.

Again, this card highlights all of the In-Colors on one card along with a few other retiring products…

To create this card: 

Use the Big Shot™ with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Blushing Bride cardstock. 

Stamp the Triple Treat Flower three separate times each time with a different ink- first time with Concord Crush, then with Peach Parfait and again with Poppy Parade Classic ink. Punch out the flower portions and assemble the flower. 

Layer the card using the doily from Flirtatious Specialty DSP, embossed panel using the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (this was a scrap piece I had from a previous project).

Add the flower with SU! Dimensionals , the ½” Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding Bow and the little tag sentiment to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Triple Treat Flower, Tiny Tags

 Ink: Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade

Cardstock:  Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride and Concord Crush DSP (retired In-Color Hostess Pack), Flirtatious Specialty DSP

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Vintage Wallpaper and Perfect Polka Dot,  Punches- XL Fancy Flower, 5-Petal Flower, ½” Circle, Jewelry Tag, Handheld 1/16”; ½” Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Pearls, Metallic Wire

Thanks again for visiting- I hope you enjoy this card and if you have the time to join us this month, please do!  Just create a card and upload to Splitcoast Stampers  using the keywords  CREW0512CF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM.  Have a great week and have fun stamping!

CCREW0512DF- A Vintage Career

Hi Stampers!

Here is one of the challenges for the Splitcoast Creative Crew May Challenges- 

CCREW0512DF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - DSP/Color Focus

A Vintage Career! This is the last month for the 2010-2012 In Colors (Blushing Bride, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Concord Crush).   Showcase the color you'll miss the most in a project….I used all of the colors since I love them all!

Using Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz and Poppy Parade to stamp collage images from Established Elegance onto a piece of Blushing Bride cardstock.  

De-static the cardstock, stamp the dress form with Versamark™ ink and then again into Concord Crush Classic Ink, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool. 

Emboss with the Big Shot™ with the Decorative Oval Frame Textured Impressions™ Folder, tear the edges around the edges by hand and lightly sponge Concord Crush over the embossing and around the edges.

Layer the cardstock panels, add the ½” Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding Ribbon, add the bow with the rolled flower center, sentiment and pearls to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Established Elegance, Elements of Style

 Ink: Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade

Cardstock:  Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride and Concord Crush DSP (retired In-Color Hostess Pack)

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Vintage Wallpaper and Decorative Frame- Oval, Punches- 1 3/8” Circle (rolled flower), 1” Circle and Modern Label (sentiment), Sponge Daubers, Sanding Block,  ½” Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Pearls

Thanks again for stopping by- have fun creating this week and if you have the time, come join us! 

May 2012 Creative Crew Challenge

Hi Stampers! 

I am so excited- May is my first month as part of the Splitcoast Stampers SU! Creative Crew Design Team and what an honor!  I will be participating on the Design Team for four months and we are hoping that you will join us this month!  If you have the time to participate, just create a project from one of the challenge categories and upload it to the Splitcoast Gallery- it is that easy and a lot of fun!  When you upload, make sure that you use the keywords that are highlighted in bold so we can all see your projects and comment (SUO- Stampin’ Up! Only and SUM= SU! Mostly)-

May’s Challenge Details-   Retiring In-Style! 

CCREW0512DF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM -- DSP/Color Focus: 
A Vintage Career! This is the last month for the 2010-2012 In Colors (Blushing Bride, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Concord Crush).   Showcase the color you'll miss the most in a project. 

CCREW0512CF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM -- Catalog focus: 
Time to Blossom! Think of May flowers. We have lots of flowers in the catalog: stamps, punches, paper flowers, Big Shot dies, buttons, etc.. Use any or all of these in a project.

CCREW0512HF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM -- Holiday focus: 
This one's for the girls! Make a free standing pop-up card for a special female in your life (your mom, your sister, an aunt, or a best friend)! The tutorial is here: Splitcoaststampers - Free Standing Pop-Up Card Tutorial by Mary Jo Albright .  Don’t forget- a great project to use the Simply Scored™ board and the new diagonal insert!

CCREW0512SF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM -- Scrapbook focus: 
Did you know that May is National Scrapbooking month?  Create a scrapbook page or project that showcases someone you love.

I will post each of my projects in a separate blog entry- I hope you enjoy this challenge and join us!   Have fun and stop by to visit us :-)